R Connections

L-R: KRISTINE SCHULTZ IIDA ’86 (Glenview, IL), AMY GEROSO ’86 (Salt Lake City, UT), TANYA BENNETT ’86 (Matthews, NC) and LOIS BRENNAN ’86 (Hingham, MA) got together for our annual junket. This time we met in Charleston, South Carolina. We try to meet up every few years as a group. We all met freshman year and were roommates in Wright Hall. 30+ years our friendship is still going strong!

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

ASHLEY SKOCZYNSKI ’09 and ABBY KORB ’20 on January 20, 2019 at the first Emerge Training in Madison, Wisconsin. Emerge is a national program that teaches Democratic women the skills needed to run for office over the span of 6 months!

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Some of the Smith Indees ’86 met at Dave and Martha Forgione’s in Woodstock, Vermont for a weekend that included a lobster feast after a day of fishing – and whale sightings – off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Front row: LARS GREINER ’86, CHANDLER BATHRICK ’86 , PAUL WENNER ’86, JON KOSTELIC ’86. Back row: JOHN MORTON ’86, JOHN FISHER ’86, JIM YOUNG ’86, STEVE GANEY ’86, DAVE FORGIONE ’86.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Jacob Sumner ’01 at Stamford Bridge (home of Chelsea FC) in the English Premier League with Tom Becker ’05 this winter for the Chelsea vs Newcastle match.

Presidential Gathering in Southwest Florida at the home of Gary ’72 and Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer ’73 on February 25, 2019.

L to R: Scott Reynolds ’74, Roger Key, Debra Reynolds ’74, Sue Mijanovich Key ’72, Gary Lederer ’72, Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer ’73, Acting President Ed Wingenbach, Karen Teschner Dorn ’72, Linda Brassington Daniels ’72, Cynthia Sanborn Nyquist ’69, Scott Nyquist ’69, Dave Daniels, Janice Paine, Matthew Paine ’18, Allan Dorn.

AMY SONIER FOELSKE ’12 and Robert Foelske with their first child, Leah Marie Foelske, born on December 18, 2018. She was born premature at 35.5 weeks, weighing 5 lbs 15 oz. and was 18 inches. We are all doing very well!

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

MEGAN MCGEE NORRIS ’12‘s son, Colton.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Lori Stich Obluda ’91 and husband, Bernard at a 4-day mini-break in St. Maarten for Bernie’s 55th birthday. Christmas week in Amsterdam, and most recently a flight to Paris to spend a day with Bernie during an airline layover and petting this moose when she strolled up as Lori was returning from Home Depot.

BECKY HUSTAD ’91 and BRIAN FREY ’91 — Celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with at trip to Arizona in October including Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Sedona, and many points in between.

Charles Merwin ’91, Luke Huston ’91 and Esa Kiirikki ’91 at Esa’s wedding last fall in Massachusetts.

KRISTIN DODDS ’98 at the US Army Reserves reenlistment ceremony. Pictured with her children.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

EMILY CONNOVICH ‘15 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has started a family with her husband! Emily and her husband Elias have identical twin boys, Elisha (left) and Isaiah (right).

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

ALI NEMECEK ’14, KRISTY SPADONI ’15, EMILY GARY ’16, KATIE SCHUMACHER ’14, BRI MILROY ’15, SAM KAY ’15.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

JOHN AND KRISTY SPADONI ’15 were married on November 10th, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin surrounded by all of their friends and family. They honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They both continue to make strides in their careers and enjoy their current positions. In 2019, they are hoping to travel more. Kristy dreams of going to Italy, and John dreams of becoming a lobster on a beach somewhere. Pictured: (front) JOHN and KRISTY SPADONI ’15, (Back) BRI MILROY ’15, NATE SUIDAK ’15, JEN KELLER ’16.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 has a pupdate! Sirius, all 95+ pounds of him, can reach her shoulders on his front paws  As you see, Sirius loves the snow!

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

GREGG PETERSEN ’78 (center with hat and vest): “a picture of me and my quarterly Water Quality Monitoring team of volunteers in the Middle Patuxent River in February.”

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

“I am currently serving with Peace Corps Namibia as a ESL and Art teacher for grades 6-9 in a small rural farming village in the Oshikoto Region of Namibia. Alongside teaching, I am also working with the Ministry of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Prevention Project in Namibia to reach the youth and communities of the north to prevent abuse of drugs and alcohol. I’ve been spending my weekends training with the Six Stars Volleyball Club and we are set to compete in a tournament at the coast later this month.”

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

A mini-1968 class reunion in October 2018 at the home of Steve and Kathy Henig in North Carolina. Clockwise from bottom left; Steve Henig, Diane Whiteley, Rick Kammen, Kathy Henig, Peter Uhrig, Doug Whiteley and Linda Kammen. (Photo by Linda Uhrig)

Submitted by: Peter Uhrig

Submitted by: CJ O'Reilly

Photo from left to right – Dorrie Smith Scranton, Chris Templeton and Michelle Martin

DORRIE SMITH SCRANTON ’87 of Woodstock, Connecticut and MICHELLE MARTIN ’87 of Madison, Wisconsin traveled out to Southwestern Colorado last fall to meet up with CHRIS TEMPLETON ’87 of Chicago, Illinois to spend a long weekend, hiking, off-roading, and fly fishing in the San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado.

Submitted by: Dorrie Smith Scranton